Ex-ministers asked to return government items

ISLAMABAD: The tough posture adopted by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the Supreme Court regarding the scrutiny of particulars of election candidates has apparently encouraged the water and power ministry to press for the recovery of its official items from three former federal ministers.

The ministry has forwarded a complaint to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) against two former ministers and a special assistant to the prime minister who, according to the ministry, have not returned some items provided to them for official purposes.

A section officer in the ministry has sent a letter to former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, asking him to return a photocopy machine provided to him when he was federal minister for water and power.

The letter which has also been forwarded to the ECP is titled “Return of photostat machine Konica Minolta 7145 from issue to ex-minister for water and power”.

According to the letter, the machine was issued to the former minister at his camp office.

“The photostat machine is the property of Ministry of Water and Power. It is, therefore, requested that the above photo copier machine may be returned to the ministry,” the letter said.

Another letter by the ministry has been sent to Syed Naveed Qamar who succeeded Mr Ashraf as the federal minister for water and power, asking him to return official items in his possession — one computer (P-IV), one HP Printer 1102, and one fax machine.

According to the ministry, former special assistant to the prime minister Kamal Majeedullah possessed largest number of its items.

The ministry has asked Mr Majeedullah to return nine items — one staff car (Toyota Corolla), one laptop along with accessories, one photocopier (Panasonic digital 8020), one computer (P-IV) with speakers, one LCD (ViewSonic 17 inches), one UPS, one printer, one fax machine and one 32-inch Sony LCD television.

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